2018 Swift Escape 604 motorhome

Taking the right route…

Success is Escape-shaped, as far as Swift is concerned. This compact number – in dimensions as well as price – is an addition to the Escape line-up for the 2018 season. It takes the range up to nine models and this, the 604, really is the new-born baby.

Technically, this is a full four-berth. Expect it to find most favour with couples, though, who maybe want the occasional facility to travel with extra passengers, and even less occasionally want two more sleeping over.

Based on Fiat’s highly popular Ducato, it sits rather high from the ground. You might want to check the arrangements for access at the habitation door.

Bodywork features Swift’s SMART construction, with double GRP-skinned sides, front pod and rear back panel also in GRP, and polyurethane blocks rather than traditional wood. It’s backed by a six-year bodyshell warranty as standard, extendible by another four years if you’re considering being the only owner in that period. The lack of a window to the habitation door is the most obvious signal that this is a budget vehicle.

Inside, it’s a great example of how much space can be created within the confines of a motorhome with a sub-6m overall length. It’s the manually-operated drop-down double bed over the lounge that enables this Escape to make the most of its interior space.

The lounge itself features swivelled cab seats and a half-dinette (which can also be turned into L-shaped seating) plus an inward-facing settee – all grouped around a pedestal leg table for dining. It’s not the most reassuring in its stability. Plus, a rather strange quirk is, although there’s a dedicated travel locker for the tabletop, the leg is relegated far off in the washroom.

Come night time, and it’s easy enough to pull down the main bed to the height that’s most convenient for you. Do note, though, that lockers on the underside of the bed mean you can’t use the bed and lounge in tandem.

Aft of the lounge is a very impressive kitchen, given the 604’s overall dimensions. Thetford provides the main cooking facilities – a three-ring hob plus oven/grill combination, complemented by a microwave. The sink has an add-on plastic drainer, while the fridge across the corridor has a useful 138-litre capacity. The space-efficient nature of the cooker means there’s good storage – a large, shelved undersink locker (where you’ll also find a cutlery drawer), single overhead locker with crockery racks, plus a large drawer and a floor locker. There’s also a useful flip-up worktop extension.

Again, considering vehicle size, it’s a rather good washroom. Taking up the whole back end, there a wardrobe in here (there’s also a wardrobe in the main living quarters) as well as plenty of storage for your shampoos and other washing paraphernalia. The shower cubicle has a trigger-operated Ecocamel showerhead, which bodes well for water-saving, and other details range from a window and rooflight to open shelving around the basin and a towel rail.

The Swift Command app means you can always keep an eye on lighting, heating, water levels and more – and the Swift Command Thatcham Cat 6 tracking device will get you a healthy discount on your motorhome insurance.

A more realistic price would include the £1,695 Comfort Pack. It bulks up the overall specification, to include cab air conditioning, an opening sunroof over the cab, passenger airbag, windscreen blind, Status 570 TV aerial, reversing sensors, en route Truma heating, winterisation (waste water tank heater, underfloor pipe insulation, fridge vent covers) and more. Other options are available, but most owners will be happy to leave things at this level.

It’s hardly surprising, given the competitive pricing across the whole Escape range, it’s Swift’s best-selling line. The 604 – which has also scooped Best Compact Motorhome from the magazine, Practical Motorhome – is simply adding to the attraction.

Verdict: An interesting addition to the Escape range

Plus: Compact dimensions and four-berth facilities

Minus: Table storage, lack of habitation door window

In-a-nutshell: A great way to Escape

There’s more information on the Escape range on the Swift website. Find out more about insuring this or your current motorhome on our motorhome insurance discounts page.

Alternatives: Benimar Mileo 202, Bürstner Harmony Line TD 590, Chausson 530, Rapido 604F